“New Asia College Cultural Talks” is jointly organised by New Asia College and the College Alumni Association, and co-organised with New Asia Middle School. The second talk of the series was held on 18 January 2025 at New Asia Middle School.

The guest speaker was Professor Ching May-bo, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Head and Professor, Department of Chinese and History, City University of Hong Kong. Professor Ching gave a lecture titled “When a Canton Servant Met a British Supercargo: China and the World in the Eighteenth Century” which was moderated by College Head Professor Sun-On Chan.

Professor Ching’s talk focused on the story of Whang at Tong, a “servant” from Guangzhou in the 18th century who was hired as a servant by John Bradby Blake (1745-1773), a British East India Company Resident Supercargo. Professor Ching examined various historical texts and artworks, including a collection of botanical notes and drawings created by Blake in Guangzhou. Through the stories of these two individuals, she analysed contemporary cultural interactions and provided a fresh perspective on this lesser-known historical period.

Participants could choose to attend the lecture in person or via Zoom. The lecture received enthusiastic support from people from all walks of life, alumni and students. The content was rich and engaging, with the audience fully immersed, actively raising questions and interacting with the speaker. The atmosphere was excellent, and the lecture concluded successfully.